Berg family announces $110,000 gift benefiting Sanford POWER

BISMARCK, N.D. – The family of Benjamin Berg is announcing a $110,000 donation to the Sanford Health Foundation. The generous donation will benefit the Sanford POWER Baseball Academy, a camp held for three months in the winter to help young athletes improve their baseball mechanics and hitting. In addition to benefiting the baseball academy, a scholarship will be created for children who need assistance paying for their Sanford POWER membership.

“Ben loved the outdoors, but he also had a passion for sports, especially baseball,” said Ben’s mother Carrie Berg. “Since he was 12 years old, Ben had his own lawn mowing service and other part-time jobs. He saved all of his money from working and put it in a college education account. A majority of this donation comes from Ben’s college savings.”

Ben passed away in October while duck hunting near Arena Lake. His family was inspired by Sanford POWER and the work it does to enhance young athletes.

“Ben loved sports and he had great coaches and trainers that helped shape him into the dedicated athlete he was,” said Ben’s father James Berg. “I know Ben would want his college savings to go toward helping young athletes achieve their athletic dreams.”

The Berg’s gift supports the Sanford Health Foundation’s Builders of Excellence campaign. Through this campaign, Sanford matches each donation dollar-for-dollar, which means a total of $220,000 will be given to support Sanford POWER. Since the Builders of Excellence campaign began in 2012, more than $4 million has been donated, creating more than $8 million in endowment funds to benefit central and western North Dakota.

To make a donation in Ben’s memory to either the Ben Berg Baseball Academy fund or the Ben Berg Scholarship fund, call the Sanford Health Foundation at (701) 323-8450.

About Sanford HealthSanford Health is an integrated health system headquartered in the Dakotas. It is one of the largest health systems in the nation with 45 hospitals and nearly 300 clinics in nine states and four countries. Sanford Health’s 28,000 employees, including more than 1,300 physicians, make it the largest employer in the Dakotas. Nearly $1 billion in gifts from philanthropist Denny Sanford have allowed for several initiatives, including global children’s clinics, genomic medicine and specialized centers researching cures for type 1 diabetes, breast cancer and other diseases. For more information, visit sanfordhealth.org.

Our System of strength

POWER works closely with the Sanford Sports Science Institute (SSSI) in Sioux Falls, SD on research initiatives, which address training, competition and rehabilitation for athletes of all ages and abilities.